


Kya's Birthday

by slowdissolve



Series: KyaLin Sketches and Adventures [11]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, Fluff, One Shot, Romance, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 04:21:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13628490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slowdissolve/pseuds/slowdissolve
Summary: "The Flower of Hsin-Jang" is actually a real song that I was listening to when the idea for this fic came to me. I don't know if it's really got any words to it, but it would be nice to think it does.Here's a link to the song:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_OWpuR3sFQ





	Kya's Birthday

First thing in the morning, Lin surprised Kya with steamed buns for breakfast. Lin wore a little pleased smile.

Later in the morning, a bouquet of flowers was delivered at the clinic while she was working, bearing a card with Kya’s name on it.

Lin met Kya for lunch, and Katara joined them. After a little while, Tenzin and Pema, Jinora, Ikki, Meelo and Rohan arrived, quite unexpectedly. And then Opal, Bolin, Mako, Korra and Asami somehow just decided to have lunch at the same café. And then Bumi and a squadron of airbenders happened to fly by, stopping for a moment to say hello.

Kya cheeks hurt from grinning and her sides ached from laughing.

“Did you plan this?” she asked Lin.

“What? Me? Spirits, no! This is all just a _huge_ coincidence.” But she still had that little pleased smile.

In the afternoon, another, bigger delivery of flowers arrived. This time the card was addressed to the clinic staff, with a note thanking them for all they did for the city.

“The chief knows how to do things right,” the receptionist laughed.

After work, a taxi appeared outside the clinic, and Lin was waiting there for her. She wore the same little pleased smile.

Dinner was at Kwong’s, in a private corner with candles and wine. At dinner, Lin gave her a small box: inside was a brooch, a single pearl surrounded by swirling waves of silver. As usual, it was elegant and perfect. Lin had exquisite taste, and a little pleased smile.

After dinner, they walked down by the waterfront, quietly, admiring the lights on the water. They talked about Kya’s boat, in dry dock down at the South Pole, wondering whether they should sail it back in the summer, visiting new places on the way. Winter was past half done, and the thought of green leaves and sunshine made them long for those wonderful days they'd sailed, alone with each other.

“This has been such a wonderful day, Lin,” she said. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

“Hmmm…” was all Lin said, but she still had that pleased little smile.

When the moon was high, they made their way to the Kyoshi Island Women’s Club for a drink.

At the door, when Lin knocked, and the window slid open, mischievous eyes asked for the password.

“Kya’s birthday,” Lin said.

Kya looked at Lin, whose pleased smile was slightly bigger now.

Inside, every friend Kya had in Republic City was there, it seemed, and they all shouted “SURPRISE!” She almost fainted, but Lin was there to catch her, and she held Kya close, the pleased smile still on her lips.

And the party began in earnest. Lin bought round after round of drinks; Miki and Tok served airbender fruit pies to everyone. Kya was greeted with kisses and hugs from young women and old ladies, and every age in between, all happy to be there with her on this evening. Nuying’s band was there, playing dance music, and the little dance floor was very crowded.

Kya was overwhelmed. Tears shone in her eyes, and she found that there were a few guests who’d traveled to see her… old friends she hadn’t seen in years, from far and near. She wondered just how Lin had managed to find them. What had Lin spent to get them here? It was too much to think about.  
  
There was an abundance of laughter and conversation. Kya moved from table to table, trying to talk to everyone, to thank each one. But time and again she would look over to the table by the stage, Lin’s favorite spot, especially when Nuying was playing, and Lin’s eyes would be on her, her face glowing. That little pleased smile was a big pleased smile now.

She spent a time at one table, talking to two women from the Fire Nation who’d made the trip for the occasion. They reminisced about their escapades while Kya had spent time in their town, and she was nearly crying with laughter about the ridiculous situations they’d gotten into. She took a moment to catch her breath, and instinctively looked for Lin, but this time she was gone.

Tukkatok climbed up on a barstool and yelled, in a booming voice, “LADIES! Women and girls! We have a special event tonight! And NO! It’s not just Kya’s birthday!” There were gales of laughter.

“No! My friends, something never before seen, and likely never again will be seen, is about to happen! I introduce to you, as part of Nuying’s Orchestra, a special guest... our own Chief of Police and Kyoshi Island sister, Lin Beifong!”

To Kya’s utter astonishment, Lin was seated next to Nuying, though not unexpectedly rolling her eyes at Tok’s introduction.

She lifted a flute to her lips, and began to play. The crowd, already settled by Tok’s announcement, was hushed. Lin played the first notes of an old folk song, _The Flower of Hsin-Jang_ , and there was a smattering of applause, as some recognized it. Then they were silent as the rest of the band joined the music, and Kya was swept away.

Lin played beautifully, expressively, her eyes closed as she swayed in time. _She’s so good at everything,_ Kya thought, _and she’s playing for me!_

Two ancient ladies, who’d been a couple since Helki opened the club, when Kya was a teenager, began to sing. They sang in thin, high voices, and before long the whole of the crowd had joined in.

Korra and Asami were late. They came down the stairwell, hearing music and singing, and then loud stomping of feet and clapping. They knocked uselessly at the door… the woman who was supposed to be checking it couldn’t hear them.

Korra shrugged, and carefully metalbent the little window open. Startled eyes swung around to meet hers, but recognizing the two, she hurriedly opened the the way to them.

Kya was up on the stage, pulling Lin into a deep kiss, and Lin had her arms wrapped around her. The crowd might not even have been there, for all they knew; at that moment, each was the world for the other.

The crowd roared their approval.

“What’d we miss?” Korra asked.

This was met with an equally loud roar of laughter, and when Kya and Lin turned to see what the cause was, could not help but laugh themselves.

Korra blushed crimson, but she and Asami were soon pulled into the swirl of the party, no harm done. They toasted Kya, and Lin, and all the women gathered raised their glasses with Asami and Korra.

The party went on a while longer, but, as all parties must, it drew to a close, as one by one the friends came by their table to wish Kya another year of happiness, and to congratulate Lin on the music, and having made Kya so happy. There were tears as Kya said goodbye to the friends who’d come those long distances, promising to visit soon, exchanging addresses and swearing to write.

And then it was time to go home.

In the taxi, Lin’s little pleased smile was back, and Kya curled gratefully under her arm in the back seat.

Inside, on the sofa, curled together, Kya asked, “Where did you learn to play the flute? I had no idea!”

“Grandma Poppy insisted that a ‘lady of quality’ must know how to play music. We had lessons in the summers when we went to stay with them in Gaoling.”

“But that was years ago!”

“Well…” Lin said, “this past month, some of the times I worked late? I was rehearsing with Nuying.”

“You sneak!” Kya laughed, thumping her gently.

“I wanted to make you happy.”

Kya sat up, and turned to her. “You did so much for me today. I can’t even believe it. Flowers,  and that beautiful brooch, bringing my family together, my friends… I can’t believe you found some of them! You… you did all this…”

“For you. Of course I did.”

“You’re so...” Words failed her.

“You wanna know a little secret?”

Kya nodded solemnly.

“I wouldn’t be...so...except for you. Without you, I’m a locked box. But you’re the key, and you’ve opened me up. And everything inside? It’s all for you.”

And the last thing that night, two lovers fell asleep next to each other, both wearing a little pleased smile.

**Author's Note:**

> "The Flower of Hsin-Jang" is actually a real song that I was listening to when the idea for this fic came to me. I don't know if it's really got any words to it, but it would be nice to think it does.
> 
> Here's a link to the song:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_OWpuR3sFQ


End file.
